LOS ANGELES – The University of New Mexico Lobo baseball team’s season came to an end Sunday afternoon as the Lobos dropped a 7-2 decision to Creighton University in an elimination game in the UCLA regional.
The Lobos finished the season with a 37-24 record, which tied for the fourth-most victories in a single season in school history.
“I have to tip my hat to Creighton,” UNM manager Ray Birmingham said. “(It was a) great job by Creighton. They pitched extremely well … and made the pitches when they needed to make them.”
The Lobos were shut down by Creighton starter Erik Mattingly, who allowed two runs on three hits and three walks in six innings to knock UNM out of the regional.
“He was around the zone,” freshman Ryan said. “He was hitting his spots. We hit some balls hard, but things just didn’t go our way today.”
It didn’t take long for the Bluejays (28-29) to jump out in front off UNM starter Josh Walker. With one out in the first Nick Judkins and Chance Ross both singled before Anthony Bemboom launched a three-run home run to right for an early 3-0 lead.
The Lobos were held without a hit for the first three innings for the third game in a row, but finally got on the board in the fourth. Ben Woodchick led things off with a double to left center and advanced to third on a passed ball with DJ Peterson at the plate.
Peterson was eventually hit with a 2-2 pitch to put runners on the corners for Padilla. The Albuquerque-native lined a pitch up the middle to score Woodchick and cut Creighton’s lead to 3-1.
But the Bluejays struck right back in their half of the frame with a two-out rally. They would answer a Lobos’ score in their half of the fifth inning as well.
“Every time we climbed back on top of the mountain, they kicked us back down,” Birmingham said. “That affects you emotionally, especially after an emotional year and a grind and a fight and 61 games.”
The Lobos’ offense, which was the strength of the team all season, abandoned them in their two losses in the regional. After recording double-digit hits in their previous 11 games, they managed only five hits in their last two.
The Lobos lost 7-1 to UCLA Saturday to put them into the elimination game against Creighton.
Aggies go 0-2 in playoffs

TUCSON, Ariz. — The New Mexico State University Aggie baseball team fell 6-2 to Missouri in an elimination game of the NCAA Tucson Regional and end its season Saturday.
Starting pitcher junior Adam Mott went 7-1/3 innings and gave up two runs, while striking out five Tiger batters.
Mott was pulled from the game after he gave up a double in the bottom of the eighth and Missouri took full advantage of the momentum shift to score five runs in the inning. Relief pitcher Bob Kraft gave up a run in the inning and Scott Coffman gave up three runs, a walk and two triples as he struggled in the final outing of his career.
Coffman ended his career as the all-time saves leader with 22 in his time with the Aggies and also as the all-time appearance leader with 108 appearances on the mound.
The late-inning rally by Missouri spoiled Mott’s strong outing.
“I was able to command all three of my pitches and on top of that, I was able to pitch with runners on base and that is basically what you have to do if you want to be successful on any level,” Mott said. “We had a spectacular season and I wouldn’t have done it with any other group of guys.”
The Aggies finish the 2012 season with a record of 35-24.
Things looked good for the Aggies early against the Tigers as they took a 2-0 lead after a lead-off single by senior Tanner Waite and a walk by senior Bryan Karraker. Senior Zach Voight brought in Waite and Karraker on a triple to right-centerfield before Missouri cut the lead in half when they used three consecutive singles to jump on the board.
NMSU had a runner on board in the top of the fifth when senior Zach Voight hammered a ball down the left field line that hit the third base umpire to prevent extra bases and possibly another run from scoring.
“It was just baseball luck,” NMSU manager Rocky Ward said. “We had a 2-1 lead and we had momentum early in the game. We left a lot of people on base and the No. 2 offense in the nation never showed up. That’s the bottom line. We couldn’t get the breakthrough hit we needed to carry momentum late in the game.”
Missouri’s Jeff Emens was the winning pitcher, going three innings with three strikeouts and no walks or runs. Aggie freshman Robert Kraft was the losing pitcher, going seven innings with seven hits, two runs, two walks and five strikeouts.
Missouri got three hits and three RBI from left fielder Scott Sommerfeld and two hits, two runs and one RBI from designated hitter Michael McGraw.
The Aggies were led by designated hitter Kurt Snowley and his three hits along with the Aggies’ lone RBI from Voight.
“I wouldn’t have done this with another group of guys,” Voight said. “I know everyone says that, but I have 26 brothers on this team that would do anything for one-another at any hour of the day. We have nothing to hand our heads about. We went down to the last pitch just like we have done all year. I feel like it was a successful year.”
NMSU, the No. 2seed in the regional, fell to No. 3 seed Louisville 3-2 Friday to fall into the elimination round.